Terrorists caught by 'brain-fingerprinting?'

Plus pole-dancing robots and more in this week's Weird Tech

Are you a prospective criminal? You may wish to think again… Several Israeli-based technology companies are developing detection systems that pick up signs of emotional strain – a "psychological red flag that a passenger may intend to commit an act of terror," CNN reports.

Intended to improve security in areas of high alert, the 'brain-fingerprinting' technology is faster and less intrusive than metal detectors, and may be tested in Israeli airports. So if you think you've forgotten your wallet/sunglasses/mobile - and you're on holiday in the Middle East - best act casual.

Systems being developed could include automated check-in or departure information screens that expose you, without realising, to words such as 'Islamic Jihad' written in Arabic. Such stimuli would produce an intrinsic biometric response that strategically placed sensors would record.

Experts claim behavioural profiling is fairer, more effective and less expensive than traditional security profiling, which can discriminate by race and religion.

Spam emails raise the game

In other news, an invasion of death-threat spam emails have upped the ante for those in the junk mail game.

"I was paid to eliminate you and I have to do it within 10 days. ... I might just spare your life, $8,000 is all you need to spend." So reads the scam email received by at least four residents of Hernando, Florida in recent days.

Police have urged people not to comply with the demands.

Rise of the robots

We were disturbed and delighted in equal measure during this week's search for the world's weirdest tech. These pole dancing robots at the MuTate London exhibition troubled us, frankly. And the VideoMan suit – a peculiar portable home theatre system that you're meant to wear – did little to improve the mood.

But where there's weird, there's also wonderful: MicroMatic's v-POD Tower beer-dispensing LCD screen is this week's wonderful. Kitted out with a 10-inch screen, remotely mounted DiGi viewer and integrated stereo speakers, plus stainless steel column-style dispensers, the v-POD Tower will set you back a cool $3,050 (£2,070), or $3,260 (£2,215) for the brass version. Surely a must-have for any true sports fan.

And finally…

When Denis Matthews investigated the cause of a paper jam in his photocopying machine, the last thing he expected to find inside was a metre-long snake.

The nocturnal brown tree snake is known for being aggressive when confronted. Mr Matthews, from Lismore, Australia, used a long pointer in an attempt to encourage the reluctant snake out through the back of the machine.

He suspects the snake is still in the computer room, the Metro reports, as small objects have been knocked off shelves.